Deutsche Graffiti Pt. 3

Bavarian Barn Find?

Read Part 1 Here

Read Part 2 Here

There is a reason we use one year as a significant measurement of time. A great many things can happen over the course of a single rotation around our sun. Journeys are began and completed. We as individuals grow older and wiser. Taylor Swift blows through dozens of relationships and corresponding hit singles.

A year can be used as an assessment of progress. For Ira Schacter and his S65-powered ’33 hot rod project, progress was certainly evident. In fact, it has been over a year since the idea first made the leap from dream to reality – a reality that included some trials and obstacles that Ira could not have possibly predicted at its onset. Despite this, Ira is having the time of his life.

Active Autowerke: 2014 Highlights

Another year has passed and it’s hard to not be just a little sentimental. 2014 has been a fruitful year filled with great accomplishments. Instead of listing every single thing we have achieved, we decided to save you the boredom of reading an endless essay of accomplishments and instead we’ll list our top 3. We will also be saving our biggest and most exciting accomplishment for last. So fasten your seat belts because we are about to speed through a year at Active Autowerke.

 3. E9X performance header for the N51/N52 motor- We still have some tricks up our sleeves.

Fits like a glove.

This is a development that we are particularly  proud of. The Active Autowerke BMW E9X  Performance Header is designed specifically for the  BMW N51/N52 motor to increase exhaust flow without  losing power which can sometimes be tricky. These  headers are developed to create optimum flow and  eliminate restrictions that rob you of horsepower.

Made out of 100% 304 stainless steel, our header is  race ready. After many dyno runs we have  recorded only positive results and were able to  achieve 20+WHP over stock.

A lot of time and effort was focused on the actual fitment of the exhaust header due to tight constraints. A designated engine jig was made to fit these headers. So when you order your header, you’ll rest easy knowing every Active Autowerke exhaust header was pre-fitted on the engine jig for precise fitment.

This power producer is in short supply, so if you’re interested you’ll need to contact us ASAP!

2. Project European E36 M3- A.K.A the project to end all projects!

We’re still not sure how the steering wheel got over there…

This project may sound familiar, and that is because we have gone into great detail about it in our previous blogs. This Euro M3 came to us from the Caribbean and as you may already know, it isn’t very chilly down there. That is why the owner of the car wanted to install an A/C system. Now let us remind you this is a European car, so there is no A/C system. This was one of our most challenging projects to date and one of the most memorable! If installing A/C wasn’t impressive enough, this BMW also has one of our Euro M3 supercharger kits.

If you’re interested in the entire process that went into installing the A/C click here.

1. Developing a full exhaust for the F80 M3- One that actually ROARS!

Imagine you are a child and someone shows up at your doorstep and hands you the newest toy on the block. What are you going to do with it? Play with it! We experienced a similar situation when Anthony Semaan showed up at our doorstep with a shiny new BMW F80 M3. He was a man with a dream, that dream being to own the first Active Autowerke designed exhaust for the F80 M3. We weren’t about to stand in the way of a mans dreams, so we got to work.

It literally showed up at our doorstep!

When faced with a challenge, we are always ready to face it head on. After some research and development, we have come up with what we believe is the best performing and sounding F80 M3 exhaust on the market. After multiple dyno runs, we were able to achieve 20+WHP gains over stock with our rear and mid-section exhaust.

If you’d like to see it in action on the dyno click here.

Another year of playing with power has passed, and we’ve achieved some amazing performance results. Thank you to all who have followed us throughout 2014 and welcome to all who wish to “Come Play with Power” in 2015. A happy and prosperous New Year to all!

 

Faster Than a Speeding Bullet

Even Superman is jealous of this kind of power!

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a BMW 128i with a custom Karl Hugh tune! It may be unconventional, but here at Active Autowerke we thrive on a hands-on approach to achieve considerable gains. When our Software Engineer Karl Hugh creates a tune for a customer, he takes a more personal approach to bring them the results they desire.

Karl was recently approached by a driver named Kyle Herbst, who was faced with a dilemma. No one had a setup for a 128i that would make it nationally competitive in the Sports Car Club of America Autocross. There was little information on what tires, wheels, or suspension to use and it was becoming too much of a head ache for Kyle to handle alone. That’s when Karl stepped in to lend a hand.

Little information has been gathered on how to tune the N51 engine safely, so Karl was faced with a challenge when it came to the drivers tune. More attention to detail had to be paid, so Karl was in constant contact with Kyle. This is where the Kyle experienced just how hands-on we are, which made it easy for Karl to seem like a close friend.

The BMW of steel.

Immediately it seemed like the N51 with the 3-stage DISA manifold had encountered some kryptonite. It had issues with torque surging in low RPM loads and lacked the upper band pull, even though BMW claimed the same power gains as the N52. Karl never shies away from a challenge and was able to tweak the tune with some email correspondence. Kyle noticed a night and day difference stating that throttle response was much more predictable and linear. The “dead pedal” feeling was removed, and low-end torque was increased significantly.

The car was now running as if it had rolled off the factory assembly line. It appeared to pull harder through the RPM range and the OEM “dipping” from the 3-stage DISA valve was not felt like prior. If these testimonials aren’t enough, maybe the numbers will do the trick. Dyno runs measured 218WHP at 200 ft-lbs of torque.

Ready, set, go!

Kyle was ready for the races. In a class dominated by Scion’s, Subaru’s, Mazda’s and other such non-German cars, this BMW was unique to its STX class. The car placed 1st out of 11 in the Toledo ProSolo race and 8th out of 24 in the ProFinale final standings for the year.

Despite these impressive standings, Kyle is too ambitious to stop at just an Active Autowerke tune. After catching wind of our new Active Autowerke E9X performance header, he knew he had to be next in line to get his hands on it. Karl is certainly up to the challenge of creating an even faster BMW for his new friend Kyle.

 

Fatherhood over Racing

One of these is really important. The other is being a dad.

In every racer’s life, there comes a time that requires us to trade in horsepower and the smell of burnt rubber, for cribs and dirty diapers.

A time when the need for speed, becomes the need for a nap.

This was the case for Paul Azan, a good friend of ours, here at Active Autowerke. Paul started racing regularly back in 1990, but was forced to give it up shortly after his second child was born in 1995.

We Pack It – So No One Cracks It!

When painting a masterpiece, every individual brush stroke requires total concentration. Each stroke has a purpose and meaning, and is orchestrated precisely, culminating in an end result that is nothing short of extraordinary. In all facets of our business, we take similar considerations into mind. Sales, distribution, and service are all detailed brush strokes in the masterpiece that is Active Autowerke.

Cool Runnings

We’re feeling very Olympic today…

Here we are.

It’s been quite a journey, and we can’t lie; it’s been a tough one. Project Euro M3 began as more of a dream than anything: Build a fully functioning – comfortable – 500+ horsepower ultimate driving machine. The platform for the ambitious build was arguably one of the most coveted iterations of the legendary marque, the European market E36 M3. Our mission was simple…add a bunch of extra air.

Both in the engine bay, AND the cabin.

Made In Taiwan

Time for some World History…

For many of us who grew up in the U.S., our first encounter with the country of Taiwan happened when we flipped over the plastic trinkets that came with our Happy Meals, and asked our mothers to read the three little words that we found. Although we couldn’t pronounce it’s name, Taiwan meant one thing to us: fun toys.

Now (somewhat) more mature, “Made in Taiwan” carries a similar meaning, at least here at Active Autowerke. Over the years, we’ve cultivated a profound relationship with a large group of BMW enthusiasts on the island who have some pretty impressive toys of their own…and none of them contain a single ounce of cheap plastic.